Language Access Specialist (Portuguese), Salem Public Schools SY2024-2025

 

Schedule: Year - Round Position 

Hours:  8:00am - 4:00pm, with ½ hour unpaid lunch break (37.5 hours/week)

Salary: Hourly Rate per AFSCME Contract

 

About Salem Public Schools, where belonging leads to opportunity.

Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history.  Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district enrolling nearly 4,000 students across our 11 schools. Our vision is to ensure that all students will be locally engaged, globally connected, and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world. We hold dear our core values of belonging, equity, and opportunity in everything we do. Over the next three years (2023-2026), we are committed to the work outlined by the four core priorities in our strategic plan: 1) Elevate Learning; 2) Empower Educators; 3) Center Belonging; and 4) Strengthen Our Foundation. We seek individuals who are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement for all students, regardless of ability, economic status, gender/gender identity, language, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other backgrounds. Applicants who have experience working in urban schools and settings and are bilingual are strongly encouraged to apply.

 

What You’ll Do:

We are seeking a skilled and fluent Portuguese speaker to join our team. As a Language Access Specialist, you will play a crucial role in facilitating effective communication between Portuguese-speaking individuals and English-speaking parties. This position requires exceptional language proficiency, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to convey messages accurately and impartially.

 

The Language Access Specialist serves as a member of the team, working with the Translation & Interpretation Coordinator & Director of the Parent Information Center to support the smooth operation of the department. The ideal candidate is a team player who demonstrates strong interpersonal skills and who understands how to remain focused and organized in a fast-paced work environment.  

 

The Language Access Specialist  must have excellent oral and written communication skills and be able to efficiently use tools and technology, Google Suite, Excel, PowerPoint, and other software. Previous experience in Language Services, interpretation, or translation is highly preferred. Ensures confidentiality and sensitivity when handling language related information.

 

What You’ll Bring:

We are looking for candidates who have diverse backgrounds and experiences, are inspired by our mission, and are highly motivated to change children’s lives through education. You’ll be right at home here if you are a reflective practitioner who values collaboration with colleagues and pushes yourself, your work and the people around you to the next level.  We expect our SPS employees to:

• Hold a deep commitment to students and families and value diversity - The SPS community is vibrant, diverse in background, ethnicity, language, and perspective. You embrace and affirm the backgrounds of all members of the SPS community and view our diversity as a powerful resource that supports us each in learning and doing our best work.
• Hold high expectations for yourself, students, and colleagues – You see potential in all, especially our SPS students, and maintain high expectations for achievement, while providing the support necessary to meet that bar. You hold yourself to high expectations, modeling SPS values and seeking opportunities to continuously improve.
• Build authentic, caring relationships with colleagues, students, and families – You build strong relationships across students, families, and colleagues that are collaborative in nature and contribute to the individual and collective success of SPS. You partner with families and colleagues to make decisions in the best interest of students and learning.
• Embrace feedback – You are a reflective practitioner who learns from failure, using mistakes and challenges as opportunities for growth. You model persistence and growth mindset and thrive in a culture of feedback.

Duties and Responsibilities include:

 

Office

• Perform some general secretarial and clerical functions (e.g, copying, faxing, data entry, filing, Preparing requisitions, maintain inventory of office supplies, etc.) for the purpose of supporting site operations
• Greet students, parents, staff, and the public efficiently and courteously
• Answer and/or refer telephone and in-person inquiries; take messages; promote
• Respond to inquiries & services requested by the Translation & Interpretation Coordinator 
• Monitor & Update online Salem Language Access Management System
• Attend scheduled mandatory in house and out of district trainings as offered
• Update online resources and information for the public and SPS educators

District Level Support

• Provide accurate and timely Interpretation services during meetings, conferences and other interactions
• Available to work when needed during evening and/or weekend events.
• Translate written documents including emails, reports and other materials. Ensuring linguistic and cultural accuracy. 
• Collaborate with various departments to enhance language related processes and procedures 
• Other duties as assigned

 Student Enrollment & Record Processing (some school mostly summer work)

• Checking aspen for newly submitted applications
• Verifying application information with supporting documents (date of birth, grades, place of birth, family address, medical record etc) 
• Follow up with families to collect missing documents
• Prepare, develop and maintain a digital filing system related to student registration form referrals and evaluations through PPS
• Maintain confidentiality of all student & staff personal identifiable information to general public, only when necessary with school based teams 

Skills and Qualifications:

• High School diploma or equivalent relevant certification, college preferred
• Minimum of two years of successful experience in Translation & Interpretation 
• Proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Proficiency or willingness 
• to attend required training on Google Suite, willing to learn utilize District provided software & Programs
• Exceptional fluency & proficiency in Portuguese and English, in both written and verbal communication. 
• Ability to remain organized and flexible in a fast-paced office environment
• Ability to establish and maintain a positive and professional relationship with co-workers, students, parents, staff and visitors
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to understanding of how to work collaboratively in a diverse workplace and with a diverse client population
• Current authorization to work in the United States

 

Equal Opportunity Employer

Salem Public School District is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.